Healthcare is affordable for all

Question

Name of the Person: 黄昌虎

老人的心声

有生命的，将会老去，这是自然规律。

　　我是位73岁的老人，和其他的老人一样，无所奢求，但对高涨的医药费，我有话要诉说。

　　人垂老了，健康一定会亮出红灯。我国医药费不断升涨，体弱多病的老人，因为付不起高昂的医药费，往往不敢去看病，只好让病魔百般折腾，只求早点死去。这是文明社会的悲哀。

　　看病难，看专科医生更难。因为负担不起高昂的费用，最后只好等死，一了百了。这是老人的悲悽。

　　近日政府不是要检讨老人的处境吗？这是仁政的实施，更是对老人的关爱。

　　说 句实话，其他的一切设施，都是较为次要的问题。老人家只冀望政府多给些医药津贴，我们不需要百分之百的免费医药津贴，只是盼望政府设法把医药费降低到较合 理的水平，让老人不必为医药问题，忧心忡忡，活得不快乐。人老了，来日无多，生老病死是自然规律，不足为惧，但只怕老来受病魔折磨。

　　其他老人诸多问题可暂时撇在一边，迅速改善老人的医药问题，才是首要的任务。

　　这是我们老人家的心声！

04 Jan 2011, ZaoBao

Reply

Reply from MOH

Mr Wong Chiang Hu lamented that the elderly would not be able to afford medical treatments (“Elderly woes”, ZB, 30 Dec).

We are ever mindful that all Singaporeans, and especially the elderly, can afford good basic healthcare. This is our priority and we achieve this through multiple layers of protection: heavy Government subsidies and 3Ms: Medisave, MediShield and Medifund. The results are tangible and evident.

For the elderly, the Government tops-up their Medisave accounts from time to time. Medifund Silver provides the ultimate safety net. It often waives the outstanding bill after means-testing. Such a targeted approach is the best as it benefits all, by lifting the burden on the lower income while reducing the tax burden on the higher income.

Any patient with genuine financial difficulty paying for healthcare only needs to approach the hospital Medical Social Worker and we will take care of the rest.

In MOH, our mission is to enable all Singaporeans to live well and to age with peace of mind. Our system is not perfect but vastly superior to many others elsewhere. And we will continue to enhance it to make it work even better for all Singaporeans.